Blog Archive - Unitherm Insulation Systems

July 2, 2012 by Kendal White

A Solution to Skilled Labor Shortage? Become a Company That Teaches

Manufacturing is no-doubt facing a crisis of shortage of skilled, experienced workers. Jobs are out there, ready to be filled, but qualified employees aren’t applying.

Manufacturers can look at the issue as a problem that falls on the shoulders of high schools, trade schools, universities and the educational system in the US in general — or they can take a proactive stance and become the teachers of tomorrow’s skilled workforce.

One manufacturing company just north of Dallas, Texas is doing just that. UniTherm International is a manufacturer of finished industrial and commercial insulation products. During a time when most small businesses have pulled back, aimed to simply stay afloat, or worse have been forced to close their doors, UniTherm sees the current economic conditions as an opportunity to grow and leave its competitors behind.

One challenge this manufacturing company faces as demand continues to increase is finding experienced and skilled industrial sewing machinists. Like any other challenge UniTherm has faced during this period of aggressive growth, they have met it head on with a unique solution that benefits an entire community.

The month of July will kick off a series of free, hands-on industrial sewing classes. Anyone is welcome to join, and spots will be filled on a first come first serve basis. Throughout these free classes students will learn the basics of operating an industrial sewing machine and reading work orders and product drawings.

Some students will finish the classes with a job offer, but all will have the hands-on experience and skills many manufacturers are looking for, but struggling to find, in potential employees.

Interested in attending or learning more about the sessions? Contact UniTherm International at info@unitherm.com or 800.657.9542.

June 6, 2012 by Kendal White

Budgeting For Energy Efficiency Projects

Companies always look to make the best decisions when selecting capital projects to work into the budget; simple metrics like Return on Investment and Internal Rate of Return tend to dictate how the budget for these projects is written each year. In an effort to increase the bottom line, investments are often times funneled toward projects and purchases that directly affect sales rather than decreasing operating costs, but sales growth is never guaranteed.
In other cases, capital projects are indefinitely suspended, forcing companies to make due with what they have until either more funding becomes available or sales increase. [Read more…]

June 1, 2012 by Kendal White

Manufacturing Matters: June 1, 2012 Weekly Wrap Up

Mainbiz, a business news source, offered tips for finding ways to save energy at virtually any business. Simple things like space heaters and soda machines add up to hefty energy costs. Where can you save energy costs in your business?

Image via Flickr - Walmart Corporate

The Sacramento Bee reports that California may be missing out on ‘green’ manufacturing jobs. While California is a leader in encouraging renewable energy, almost all green technology products are manufactured outside of the state. As a state facing double-digit unemployment, luring manufacturing back to California could help fuel the state’s economy and offer jobs to the thousands of unemployed workers.

According to The Daily Camera, Boulder is considering commercial energy-efficiency requirements as voluntary incentives have not produced the energy reduction the city hoped to achieve. The program would start with expanding current inventive programs, followed by a mandatory energy rating and reporting. Read more

Have a Reshoring Story to Tell? IMTS and ReshoreNow.org are offering the chance to tell your reshoring story and will showcase selected stories as part of the Manufacturing Technology Drives Reshoring program. (thanks @ajsweatt for sharing this link)

Market Watch reports that the Obama administration launches $26 million multi-agency competition to strengthen advanced manufacturing clusters across the nation. “The Jobs Accelerator Challenge is one way the federal government is helping to support the manufacturing industry, a vital source of middle-class jobs,” said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. “The innovative products developed as a result of this federal grant program will help our economy maintain its global competitive advantage, while also creating jobs at home.” Read more (thanks @mfrsnews for sharing this link)

May 31, 2012 by Kendal White

Up-skilling in the Manufacturing Sector

$29.75 an hour. That’s $61,880 a year. Not too shabby.

Manufacturing is one of the remaining sectors that provide high-paying jobs to workers without college degrees. For high school grads, earning potential in manufacturing exceeds earning potential in construction, logistics, and hospitality, other sectors that generally don’t require post-secondary education. Workers in manufacturing can get in on the ground level and work their way up to management positions, garnering raises and benefits along the way.

Is this all about to change?
According to the April Job Report by the US Department of Commerce, the education level in the manufacturing workforce is rising steadily: in 2011, 53% of all manufacturing workers had at least some college education, up 10% from 1994.

image from the US Dept. of Commerce

What does this mean for manufacturing?
Because the manufacturing sector has begun building a labor force of higher-educated and higher-skilled workers, factory work isn’t what it once was. Today’s high-tech manufacturing industries take advantage of innovative engineering and state-of-the-art machinery—no longer the dark image of 17^th century industrial life portrayed by Dickens.

A skilled and educated work force will keep US manufacturers competitive in a global economy and will spur technological advancement. In fact, House candidate Dan Kildee claims that any disinvestment in education is bad manufacturing and industrial policy: “Its just bad policy to not educate the kid who might have the next billion dollar idea. We have to create productive produces in this country.”

Hopefully the up-skilling trend won’t bar the middle class workers it once sustained. Rising education levels may encourage students and current members of the workforce to pursue degrees or certificates in manufacturing-related fields. Grants and scholarships in STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) education abound, and many manufacturers support employees (via time off or funding or both) as they continue their education.

May 24, 2012 by Kendal White

How to Buffer your Supply Chain from the Blow of Natural Disasters

Tsunamis in Japan. Flooding in Thailand. Before 2011, many of us went about our business, unaware of how intricately connected we are in international supply chains. But then, distant shocks caused ripple effects that rocked the entire world.

Such disasters expose the shortcoming of lean manufacturing—although efficient under regular operating conditions, scarcely stocked inventory leads to a greater dependence on a decentralized network and just-in-time delivery.

For the consumer, it’s easy to forget that our goods must travel a complex path as they come into existence and arrive at our local retailer. They, regrettably, don’t appear out of thin air, ready to be purchased the moment we feel the urge to buy them. It’s hard to imagine iPods out of reach because of a far-off shortage of lithium-ion batteries, but that’s the reality of this elaborately entangled ecosystem.

Multinational manufacturers, on the other hand, have a greater appreciation for frailty of the supply chain. Global giants like Honda, Apple, and Intel will tell you—in a split second, Mother Nature can shake even the most carefully crafted supply chain, putting any company’s operational prowess to the test. After the twin tragedies in Asia, economists don’t expect many industries to “return to normal” until 2013.

Still, safeguarding your supply chain and setting up emergency management protocols will lessen the blow if (or when) a natural disaster strikes. Even if you’re not a global giant—catastrophes can hit close to home, knocking out your niche. Just last year, a record number of disastrous tornadoes streaked across the American South.

image from flickr, courtesy of Wesley Fryer

So what can you do about it? It’s a difficult situation because in some respects there’s nothing you can do—weather will rage when it wants to. But here are some tips that will help you prepare ahead of time:

Run best- and worst-case scenarios to test how your organization would handle emergency situations.
Establish a crisis team that is responsible for making and communicating decisions throughout the supply chain.
Diversify suppliers and transportation, which will allow for flexibly in times of disaster recovery.
Maintain detailed processes and procedures and keep them up-to-date with the latest plans.
Review suppliers’ disaster plans on a regular basis and align their plans with your operations.
Monitor threats and trends in your country or region.
Back-up all of your trade-related documents in electronic format and store records offsite.

You can’t control the whims of the Mother Nature, but you can set up supply chain strategies to handle shortages and market fluctuations. Many multinational manufacturers took a hit in 2011—how likely would their recovery have been without tactical and predetermined emergency management protocols? For proof that such protocols make post-disaster situations passable, look at the iPods and Accords all around us today.

May 22, 2012 by Kendal White

Promoting STEM Education in America

image from teach.com

It’s a tough truth. In math and science, American students rank far below their international peers. So as the world accelerates towards technologically advanced everything, will American innovation fall behind?

We created the Colt revolver. The vacuum cleaner. The hearing aid. The light switch. The jukebox. The oil well. The metal detector, the microwave oven, the AC motor, the sewing machine. We developed Morse Code and cable TV. We implanted the first artificial heart. We built the first computer and set up the Internet. We flew the first airplane and landed on the moon.

So what happened? Probably a combination of things. According to the National Science Foundation (NSF), “During the economic turbulence of the 1970s and 1980s, it became clear that industry and academia had become estranged from each other. Manufacturing-related scientific research at the universities wasn’t making it out into the real world quickly enough, if at all.”

Furthermore, NSF explains that to succeed in today’s hi-tech society, “students need to develop their capabilities in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) to levels much beyond what was considered acceptable in the past.”

Some call it the STEM Crisis or the Skills Shortage. America simply isn’t producing enough STEM graduates, and so our tech firms are pushing to expand visa programs and hire more foreign workers to fill the gap. Meanwhile, other countries like China and India have gained a competitive edge in qualified labor. In electronics alone, Asia is responsible for 90% of the world’s research and development.

What are we doing about it? Since the 1980s, various public and private entities have worked to bridge the gap between STEM supply and demand in America. The shortage of STEM grads means we lack qualified researchers and practioners as well as qualified educators to stimulate growth in STEM fields. Thus our problem is two-fold.

One approach involves offering incentives like scholarships, loan-forgiveness, and higher pay aim to attract more teachers to STEM fields. According to Time Magazine, Math For America provides $100,000 fellowships for math teachers and Partners in Science gives science teachers the opportunity to undertake actual scientific work at national laboratories during the summer.

Another approach involves exposing students to STEM subjects early on and amping up primary and secondary education to better prepare students for these rigorous careers. Scholarships, hiring bonuses, and other attractive incentives target students as well. Many STEM programs are working to retain entering STEM majors (60% of whom will switch to non-STEM majors after taking intro courses), and they are pushing for greater enrollment of women and non-Asian minorities, who currently hold a disproportionately low share of STEM degrees.

The US Department of Labor projects that 2 million STEM-related jobs will be created by 2014. Post-recession job growth is great news, but that projection gives us less than 2 years to prepare 2 million workers for STEM careers. It seems the gauntlet has been thrown. Can we rise to the challenge?

To keep up with news on the economy, employment, education, and other industry updates, subscribe to our blog.

May 18, 2012 by Kendal White

Manufacturing Matters: 5/18 Weekly Wrap Up

DuPont announces prestigious packaging awards that recognize leaders in innovation, sustainability, and cost/waste reduction. Top honors went to FreshCase Packaging for its new vacuum seal that keeps meat looking and staying fresh longer than conventional packaging.

Packaging award winners, image from dupont.com

MITnews recaps “The Future of Manufacturing and the US” conference, which emphasized the importance of innovation from the manufacturing sector. MITnews highlights the fact that the US added 50,000 manufacturing jobs in January alone, and big manufacturers like Ford continue to move overseas plants back home.

Plastics News announces the DME Plastics University Scholarship Program, which will offer $1,000 awards to students enrolled in plastics manufacturing-related programs. This incentive is one of many intended to boost the number of skilled workers in the plastics industry.

The Brookings Institute discusses how location impacts manufacturing plants and the industry as a whole. In the report, “Locating American Manufacturing: Trends in the Geography of Production,” Brookings examines the advantages of clustering.

US manufacturers, image from brookings.edu

May 15, 2012 by Kendal White

Encouraging Insourcing to Revive the Economy

‘Made in America’—how important is it?

It’s no secret that American manufacturing has struggled since the late 1990s. We’ve seen massive layoffs and a growing trend to outsource jobs overseas—with some companies moving more than 90% of their manufacturing to countries in Asia or South America. But there is hope on the horizon. Over the past two years, the manufacturing industry has regained some of its former strength and added more than 400,000 jobs here at home.

The White House has turned its focus towards domestic manufacturing. In his State of the Union Address earlier this year, Obama advocated that insourcing would stimulate economic recovery. Companies like Ford, Honda, General Electric, Caterpillar and Intel have already moved plants back to the US, and the current administration encourages other American companies to follow suit.

“To create an economy that is built to last,” Obama announced, “we must ensure that the next generation of products are not only invented here, but manufactured here as well. Right now, companies get tax breaks for moving jobs and profits overseas. Companies that choose to invest in America, they get hit with one of the highest tax rates in the world. Does that make any sense? It’s time to stop rewarding businesses that ship jobs overseas.”

To encourage insourcing, the Obama administration proposed tax incentives for companies that return jobs to American workers. The White House also introduced the National Network for Manufacturing Innovation, intended to accelerate innovation by investing in manufacturing technologies. By bringing together industry, educators, and federal and state agencies, the network aims to

Bridge the gap between basic research and product development
Provide shared assets to help manufacturers access cutting-edge capabilities and equipment
Educate and train students and workers in advanced manufacturing skills

With a united effort to reshore, it looks like the tides will turn for American manufacturing. Based on a recent survey, economists predict that one third of American companies worth $1 billion or more will bring back manufacturing plants that moved overseas during the past two decades. The outsourcing trend may be losing steam as our technology improves and domestic manufacturing becomes a more viable option.

Check out UniTherm’s American-made insulation jackets that help manufactures save significantly on energy costs.

May 11, 2012 by Kendal White

Manufacturing Matters: 5/11 Weekly Wrap Up

The New York Times reports that manufacturing is “one of the few bright spot of the recovery, restoring 489,000 jobs since the beginning of 2010.” The article also describes geographic distinctions in growth, with half of the most manufacturing-specialized metropolitans now located in the Midwest.

Plastics News reports that in California a controversial pro-plastics lesson has been removed from a new statewide curriculum on the environment. After the EPA looked over the proposed curriculum, the section titled “Advantages of Plastic Shopping Bags” was replaced with recycling statistics in an 11^th grade textbook.

image from flickr

ICIS News announces that researchers at technology company Siemens have developed an alternative to ABS plastic. The new material—made with 70% renewable content—is the result of a three-year project funded by the German Research Ministry and was successfully used to make a vacuum cleaner cover.

image from icis.com

GreenBiz examines the Sustainability Leadership List, which recognizes environmentally-conscious companies each year. But because some criticize the results, they also discuss plans for the Global Initiative for Sustainability Ratings that would develop a standardized method of measuring and ranking sustainability performance.

Plastics Today recognizes Dignity Health, the founding sponsor of the Healthier Hospitals Initiative, as one of the first hospital groups in the country to start using pigment-free patient plastics. This California-based healthcare organization is a leader in sustainability efforts to reduce hospitals’ impact on the environment by adopting innovative alternatives.

May 10, 2012 by Kendal White

Smart Grids: Bringing Utility Systems into the 21st Century.

What is a smart grid?
Just as smart phones have evolved into multi-purpose devices that support a wide range of applications, smart grids have become a way to computerize the electric utility grid and better manage the increasing energy needs of 21^st century consumers.

The “grid” encompasses all the networks that carry electricity from the plant where it is generated to the homes and office buildings where we consume it. Smartgrid.gov refers to our current grid as an “aging infrastructure” set up to handle only simple energy demands.

For the past 100 years, utility workers have had to go out to gather much of the data needed to provide electricity — reading meters, looking for broken equipment, measuring voltage, and so on. And most of the devices utilities use to deliver and manage electricity rely on manual or analog systems. Now, the electricity industry is taking great strides to modernize the process.

A smart grid system digitizes data collection and also acts on information about consumer behavior — similar to the way Google learns your online searching habits and Netflix knows your movie preferences. Each device on the network has hi-tech sensors to gather data and automation technology that allows the utility company to adjust and control each individual device or millions of devices from a central location.

In addition, a smart grid system can

Detect faults and isolate outages
Restore electricity quickly and strategically after power disturbances
Reduce management costs for utilities, lowering power costs for consumers
Reduce peak demand, which will also help lower electricity rates
Enable active participation by consumers in demand response
Integrate large-scale renewable energy systems
Integrate customer-owner power generation systems
Operate resiliently against physical and cyber attack

Who supports the smart grid?
In 2007, Congress passes the Energy Independence and Security Act, which supports the DOE in leading and coordinating a national grid system. Such a system would involve upgrading the current system or replacing it altogether. Smartgrid.gov advocates that a modern grid be constructed “from the bottom up to handle the groundswell of digital and computerized equipment and technology dependent on it.”

In 2009, the Obama administration allocated $3.4 billion in grants as part of a stimulus package to help utilities develop and implement technologies such as smart meters, digital transformers, and automated power monitoring and management systems.

We have seen smart grids deployed on a smaller scale in cities like Austin (2003) and Boulder (2008), and several areas in Europe and Canada are currently working towards large-scale smart grid systems.

Smart grids are designed to give consumers more control over their energy use. Imagine monitoring and managing electricity just as you do your bank account. Smart grids will provide a clear and timely picture of how much electricity you use and when it costs the most to run.

To learn more, download the DOE’s Smart Grid System Report, and check out unitherm.com for more ways to take control over your energy expenses.

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